How to Buy Convection Ovens

how to buy a convection oven

How to Buy Convection Ovens

No matter what you cook, every commercial kitchen needs an oven. A convection oven’s even cooking temperature and faster cooking time make a great addition to any commercial kitchen. Before you purchase one, however, you need to understand how to use a convection oven and which style suits your kitchen.

What is a Convection Oven?

A convection oven looks much like a conventional oven from the outside, being roughly the same size and shape and powered by either electricity or gas. The difference lies in how the oven maintains heat. A convection oven uses fans to circulate heated air around food for faster and more even cooking. >

The Benefits of Convection vs. Conventional Ovens

By replacing the radiant heat of a standard oven with fan-driven heat circulation, convection ovens produce several benefits. Below are the advantages of using convection vs. conventional ovens.

Hotter, More Even Temperatures

Heat in conventional ovens rises to the top of the oven, causing cold and hot spots in the oven cavity. A convection oven fan circulates hot air for even temperature and consistent cooking.

As a result, if you set a convection and standard oven to the same temperature, the traditional oven’s temperature will be up to 30 degrees cooler than the more evenly heated convection oven. Learning how to use a convection oven includes taking this temperature difference into account: a recipe temperature calculated with a standard oven in mind typically needs to cook at 25℉ lower when cooked in a convection oven.

Reliable Results

Because of a convection oven’s heat circulation, you can expect a more consistent output of foods, making your menu reliable for guests time and time again.

Faster Cooking Times

Because constant heat circulates throughout the oven chamber, a convection oven cooks food faster. For example, longer cook times generally mean juices are more likely to evaporate when cooking meats in a standard oven. Cooking with convection heat allows for quicker cook time and a juicer result.

No Restrictions

When comparing convection and conventional ovens, does a convection oven limit commercial chefs? No. This myth couldn’t be further from the truth. Convection ovens allow baking, roasting, rethermalizing, browning, and much more. For delicate rising of baked goods, ensure your convection oven has a variety of fan settings to avoid uneven rising.

Energy Efficiency

Because convection ovens cook food faster and use heat more efficiently, they typically use less energy than traditional ovens.

Types of Convection Ovens

Convection ovens come in various styles; each modified slightly to make commercial cooking more efficient. Below are the four most common types of convection ovens.

Direct-Fired Convection Oven

A direct-fired convection oven has burners that sit directly under the cooking chamber and push heat into the space. This radiant heat combines with the recirculated air, pushing it into direct contact with whatever is cooked.

This style is a great option for kitchens producing high volumes of pizzas, biscuits, and flatbreads because of the its high-temperature range. Examples include:

Indirect-Fired Convection Oven

Indirect-fired convection oven burners feed hot air into a radiant tube heat exchanger that is fitted above and below the food. Doing so produces a slower heat-up time because the heat has to pass through the tubes, then get hot enough to heat the entire chamber.

Because the heat does not come into direct contact with food, indirect-fired convection ovens make great cooking vessels for bakers, who need more control over the heat to produce fragile items like cakes and pastries. Examples include:

True or European Convection Oven

A true convection oven resembles a traditional oven with an added element for more efficient heat control. Also known as a European convection oven, a true convection oven has an added heating element placed in front of an air-circulating fan. The element heats the circulated air, stabilizing the temperature.

Like the indirect-fired oven, this style produces more consistent temperatures that accommodate fragile foods. Examples of European convection ovens include:

Countertop Convection Oven

A commercial countertop convection oven uses the same heat-circulating technology in a smaller format to increase the efficiency of smaller kitchens. This style of convection oven is popular with food trucks, concession stands, or quick-serve restaurants where space is limited but power is needed. These models come in quarter, half, and full-size models:

How to Use a Convection Oven

For the most part, you use a convection oven just as you’d use a conventional oven, with a few minor changes to your cooking and baking habits:

  • Adjust cooking temperature down by 25℉ when working with recipes intended for conventional ovens.
  • Check food two-thirds or three-quarters through recommended cooking times as food cooks faster in convection ovens.
  • Make sure air can circulate all around the food. Don't overcrowd the oven, which hinders air circulation, and use roasting pans, baking pans, and trays with low sides.

Caring for Convection Ovens

Commercial convection ovens typically have a lifespan of 6-10 years. Regular daily maintenance helps you get the most use out of your oven. Enlisting your team in a solid maintenance plan and schedule help make this burden a team effort. It also ensures that your oven is always clean and functioning correctly. Each convection oven style has specific cleaning rules and tips you should follow to get the maximum results. You can consult a professional anytime to help create and maintain a service plan.

Finding the Best Convection Oven for Your Kitchen

Contact Chefs’ Toys if you’re unsure about which convection oven is right for your space. Our staff knows the ins and outs of every type of convection oven and can help you assess your space, menu, and daily output to determine the best unit for your needs. Reach out to us today to get fitted with a fast, reliable, and state-of-the-art convection oven.

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